Plans to build a new pedestrian and cycle bridge across the River Thames between Canary Wharf and Rotherhithe have taken a big step forward following the completion of a detailed feasibility study.

Designers reForm Architects has developed a unique structure that would boast the world’s largest span for an opening bascule bridge.

The plans have been developed with Elliott Wood engineers and cost management advice from Arup.

The 185m central span is supported by cables from angled masts at each side. These wishbone-like structures pivot to enable the bridge to lift at its centre to allow tall and large ships to pass.

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The masts also act as counterbalance weights, so that the bridge can open very efficiently requiring £10 of electricity to open.

Working with Sustrans, the design has been used to test the viability of a crossing at this location in consultation with Transport for London (TfL), London Underground, the Port of London Authority and the Canal & River Trust.

The proposed bridge has the potential to bring significant economic benefits to the communities on either side of the river and beyond, and will be a welcoming gateway for all those arriving into London by river.

It would be the first opening bridge to be built on the River Thames since Tower Bridge in 1894.

The East London design was revealed as another footbridge plan in West London moved ahead after the successful design team was named for the £40m project.

A team led by Dutch firm Bystrup with Robin Snell Architects has won the design competition for a new bridge in Nine Elms. Its design features a slender structure and spiralling ramps at both ends.

The Autumn Statement was released today by George Osborne. It is too early to understand the potential full impact of the changes but for investors it in likely that the changes in stamp duty will lead to a desire to purchase prior to April 2016 and there is a fear that demand and therefore prices will be affected thereafter. Many agents have commented that the previous changes in stamp duty have had a dramatic effect of the upper end of the property market

Help To Buy

• New ISA product will come into effect next month
• A new interest-free loan to supplement deposits for first-time London buyers who raise the first 5%.

Landlords and second-homes

From April 2016, an additional 3% will be added on to the Stamp Duty bill for buy-to-let or second-home purchases

New homes

An extra 400,000 homes will be built by 2020

Infrastructure boost

London will get an additional £11 billion budget to be spent on infrastructure including rail, Tube, roads and cycle routes, an enhanced superfast broadband network and extra support for museums and the arts.

Capital Gains Tax

CGT bills must be settled within 30 days rather than 21 months with effect from 2019

London’s mayor has given final approval to the second stage of the £200m redevelopment of Lord’s Cricket Ground.

Plans to redevelop the south-west side of the world-famous ground will see an increase in 1,082 seats, taking capacity up to 30,530.

The project will see the Tavern and Allen stand demolished to make way for a new three-tier stand of 5,200 seats.

As part of the phase two plan, the Thomas Lord Building will be redeveloped and extensive internal improvements carried out to the Pavilion, allowing more room for cricket teams and staff.

The Tavern pub will also be rebuilt inside the ground to create a more welcoming refreshment centre.

The improvements are designed to deliver an improved spectator view of the cricket and accessibility, keeping Lord’s at the forefront of hosting major international matches and tournaments.

Westminster council gave outline planning permission for the ground improvements last month and now the Mayor has given the seal of approval for what is the second phase of development at the home of cricket.

But the earliest that work will begin on the project will be autumn 2019, due to the need for Lord’s to be free of building works that summer for the ICC Cricket World Cup.

Derek Brewer, MCC Chief Executive, said: “A five-year consent was submitted because the Club awaits the England and Wales Cricket Board’s decision – expected in 2017 – on the programme of international matches for 2019-2022.

“Today’s announcement means the Club can conclude the legal procedures associated with the planning consent and look forward to making progress on these ambitious plans from Autumn 2019 onwards.”

BAM began demolition work on phase one, the redevelopment of the Warner Stand, in September this year.

BAM is due to complete the new stand (above) in time for the 2017 season. However the stand will be in use during the 2016 season, to allow Lord’s to operate at full seating capacity during major matches.

London Underground today confirmed that plans are in place to start construction work on the extension of the Metropolitan line to Watford late next year.

The project, previously known as the Croxley Rail Link, will support growth and regeneration in and around Watford by making journeys to and from London easier.

A full funding package for the extension has now been agreed between the Department for Transport, Hertfordshire County Council and Transport for London.

This sees TfL take control for delivering the previously stalled project from the county council. Taylor Woodrow, which had an existing design and build deal with the council, will continue to deliver detailed design and enabling works.

But London Underground is now expected to go out to tender for a main contractor early next year on the bulk of project.

A key part of the project will be a new 3km stretch of line that includes building 400m new viaduct to take take the line over the Watford Road dual carriageway and the Grand Union Canal.

It will then link to an 1.5km stretch of existing but disused branch line route which will see two new stations built at Cassiobridge and Watford Vicarage Road before linking into Watford junction.

Nick Brown, Managing Director of LU, said: “For 100 years, the Tube has been enabling growth in ‘Metro-land’ and this new part of the Underground network will support further rapid development in the area.

“By 2020 we will have built a 400m viaduct, two completely new stations and numerous new and reconstructed bridges along the route, transforming transport links in Watford.

“With the funding package complete we’re now turning all our attention to appointing contractors, finalising designs and beginning construction in 2016.”

Manny Lewis, Managing Director for Watford Borough Council, said: “The Metropolitan Line Extension to Watford is a key transformational project for the town.

“As well as providing significantly improved transport choices for local people, the project is absolutely critical to unlocking Watford’s future economic and regeneration potential.

“The extended Metropolitan Line will bring over £1.4bn of investment into the town, helping create thousands of jobs by supporting the delivery of major projects like the Watford Health Campus, Watford Business Park, Ascot Road and the redevelopment of Charter Place Shopping Centre.”

Developer Helical Bar has given contractor John Sisk the go-ahead to start work before Xmas on the extensive remodelling of a major office block at Old Street in London.

The firm will strip the existing offices back to the frame and then extend the building out and upwards before recladding at a cost of £70m.

The Tower at 207 Old Street, which was previously home to Amec,  is the second phase of The Bower development next to Silicon Roudabout where properties prices are soaring in the face of demand from tech companies for space..

This phase will provide 170,000 sq ft of office space and 7,300 sq ft of retail/restaurant space, on completion of the works.

Existing block and remodelled building

207 Old Street was constructed in the 1960s and overclad in the 1980s. The existing block will now be stripped back to the concrete frame and raised by two floors.

Its 60s slab architecture will be broken up with a full height steelwork extension to the front of the building. On the ground floor, a generously-sized portion of the building will be cut out to create a pedestrian link from Old Street through to Baldwin Street.

Developer Derwent is preparing to start its most ambitious London scheme to date – the redevelopment of the former Saatchi building at Charlotte Street.

Brookfield Multiplex will deliver the 380,000 sq ft mixed-use development in Fitzrovia, which is one of two major projects due to be started by June 2016.

The project start, which has been delayed for several months, will see the contractor deliver a part refurbishment and part new build (pic below).

A substantial proportion of the existing structures are being retained to reduce waste and carbon emissions and the construction programme.

The second major job in Paddington, known as the Brunel building will be delivered by Laing O’Rourke.

Its structure echoes as a smaller version the landmark Cheesegrater offices at 122 Leadenhall St, which was Laing O’Rourke’s first major high-rise project in London.

The 240,000 sq ft office is planned on one of the last sites in Paddington Basin on the banks of the Grand Union Canal and opposite Brunel’s Paddington Station,which lend the scheme its engineer’s name.

It will rise to 17 floors and is designed with an external supporting steel diagrid support frame to afford column-free floorplates.

Designed by Fletcher Priest Architects and engineered by Arup, construction at the 55-65 North Wharf Road site is due to start in early 2016 and complete in the first half of 2019.

In a third quarter trading statement this morning John Burns, Derwent chief executive officer, said: “The current year is our best ever for lettings.  We have also successfully recycled some more mature assets into several major opportunities and the Group’s development activity demonstrates confidence that the high level of occupier demand for our product is set to continue.”

London developer Great Portland Estates is planning to deliver its largest ever pipeline of work with spending on schemes set to top £500m.

In half year trading results, the developer said it had now started nine projects amounting to 853,200 sq ft, or a quarter of its total property assets.

GPE also plans to start two West End schemes in the next 24 months at Oxford House, W1 for Facebook and a 224,000 sq ft Crossrail over-station scheme at Hanover Square, W1.

Beyond that, its pipeline includes a further dozen projects, taking the total development programme to 2.5m sq ft. This could take planned investment on building to £513m.

In the last six months GPE has committed to delivering 148 Old Street, EC1,  a major refurbishment of a 97,800 sq ft former Post Office building to create around 156,900 sq ft of offices. Strip out of the building has commenced  for completion in September 2017.

148 Old Street will be stripped back to its structural frame and fitted with new facades of glazed white and engineering brick.

In September, GPE received planning permission at Tasman House, 59/63 Wells Street, W1, to replace a tired 1950′s building with 37,300 sq ft of new office and retail space. The strip out of the building is complete and demolition has commenced with the scheme due for completion in October 2017.

The developer’s committed programme also includes: 90/92 Great Portland Street, W1, which contains the offsite residential offset for Hanover Square, W1;  84/86 Great Portland Street, W1; a 23,100 sq ft mixed-use scheme which contains the offsite residential offset for Tasman House, W1; and 48/50 Broadwick Street, W1, the residential offset for 73/89 Oxford Street, W1.

British Land has appointed former Argent chief executive Roger Madelin to lead the development of its 46-acre Canada Water site in London.

Madelin, who led Argent’s King’s Cross development team, will join the developer in February and also sit on British Land’s executive committee.

British Land has been steadily assembling parcels of land at Canada Water in south east London and now has potential for around 5.5m sq ft of office, retail, residential, leisure, educational and community space.

The major, long term project will be delivered in several phases to deliver a mixed-use town centre development.

Canada Water

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British Land is currently working with the London Borough of Southwark and local communities to deliver the Canada Water Masterplan and expects to submit a planning application by the end of next year.

Chris Grigg, chief executive, said: “Roger Madelin is a highly experienced developer and brings enormous experience of delivering major mixed-use developments.

“Placemaking lies at the heart of what we do and I look forward to working with Roger to create a vibrant new destination for London that caters for a wide range of modern needs.”

Madelin, said: “The combination of the physical opportunity at Canada Water, working with British Land and with the thoughtful and ambitious London Borough of Southwark was an opportunity too exciting to turn down.

“I have had an amazing 29 years at Argent. The completion of the last phases of King’s Cross are in talented and safe hands.”